here's what david norquist pledged in writing on september 16th. thank you for your letter to secretary he is perfect and the second of defense, laura cooper. i'm replying on secretary he is perfect's behalf. let me assure you, the department will not allow any acts of retalleyation. we continue to monitor their security situation and will make any efforts necessary to make assure their safety. please know we take our responsibility to pretekt our people very seriously. i appreciate your support and will keep you apprised of any developments as appropriate. let me assure you the department will not tolerate any act of retaliation or reprisal against them. we will keep you apprised of any developments as appropriate. no word as to whether david norquist, deputy secretary of defense, kept the leader apprised over the last few hours. when reports were surfacing that president trump was planning on taking revenge against colonel vindman. he might be seeking to take his revenge to retaliate for having been a witness. defense secretary he is perfect was

his little brother is david norquist, named secretary of defense. that's who sent the letter back to schumer when schumer inquiried as to whether or not the defense department would protect colonel vindman from retaliation. here's what nordqvist pledged in writing. dear, senator schumer, thank you to your letter to secretary esper regarding recent testimony regarding vindman and cooper. i'm replying on secretary esper's behalf. let me assure you the department will not tolerate any act of retaliation or reprisal against them. further we're committed to taking whatever steps are necessary to ensure the security of colonel vindman and ms. cooper. we monitor their security situation and will make appropriation resources necessary to keep them safe. we protect our people very seriously. a appreciate your continued support of the men and women of the defense department and keep you apprised of any gopments as appropriate. let me assure you the department will not tolerate any act of retaliation or reprisal against him. we will keep you apprised of any de

here's what david norquist pledged in writing on pentagon letterhead.e, dear senator schumer, thank you for your letter to secretary esper regarding recent testimony by lieutenant colonel vindman and laura cooper. i'm replying on secretary he esper's behalf. let me assure you the department will not tolerate any act of retaliation or reprisal against them. we're committed to taking whatever steps are necessary to secure the security of colonel vindman and ms. cooper. we continue to monitor their security situation and will make available any appropriate resources necessary to ensure their safety and that of their families. please know we take our responsibility to protect our people very seriously. i appreciate your continued support of the men and women of the defense department and will keep you apprised of any developments as appropriate. let me assure you the department will not tolerate any act of retaliation or reprisal against him. we will keep you apprised of any developments as appropriate. no word as to whether or not david norquist, deputy se

thereafter, secretary of defense esper's deputy, the deputy secretary of defense, david norquist, wroteesper's behalf, also making the same commitment in writing. quote, let me assure you the department will not tolerate any act of retaliation or reprisal against them. well, vindman and his brother have both now been fired from their jobs at the national security council and marched off the white house grounds. we haven't heard a peep from the defense department despite those promises that they would stand up for vindman, that he would be protected, that the defense department wouldn't allow anything to happen to him. not a peep. tells you something about how much the men and women of the defense department can trust the word of secretary of defense mark esper and the deputy secretary of defense david norquist. but we do now have some new reporting about how the white house started targeting colonel vindman and his brother even before they got fired on friday, and that story is next. stay with us. ♪ rock music >> man: so i'm not taking any chances when something happens to it. so when m